Horse Teeth

Friday I spent more $$ on my horse's teeth than i have on my own. Isn't that the way it is for most horse owners? Money for them but not for us?
This is the problem Blue had, a downward hook in front and an upward hook waaaaayyy in the back. This locked his jaw in place and made it difficult for him to eat. My vet Randy Bean, said it also probably gave him a headache as this condition causes cluster headaches in people.

Now this photo isn't Blue, I kinda had my hands full steadying his head. But it shows the hooks and how difficult it is to take care of them. With all of this he was still not showing the classic symptoms of tooth problems. He is just a tough guy!

SNOW STORM

I was taking my usual walk down around Roswell Marsh and back when I heard this deafening ruckus of noisy geese. I looked up and around and I was surrounded by hundreds of geese. The evening sun lit up their wings and it looked like a blizzard.
A snowstorm of swirling white winged geese amid the corn stalks.








Snow geese fly in the V to conserve energy and swap who leads and who straggles behind, but they also swirl over the ground deciding where to land. Looks like a white tornado when they circle their potential landing site. They still have a long way to go to their nesting grounds in the Arctic tundra. Hard to believe that at one time they were pretty rare

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Finally, after what seems like an eternity of deep freeze and snow, I got to ride!! The sandy hill near Adrian wasn't too terribly muddy and when it was I was bale to just go around it. At the top there was still some snow but the footing wasn't treacherous like it had been. Thunder wasn't even bucky after two months of nothing to do. He was pretty high but much better than expected. You just never know how he is going to be when you swing your leg over and set your butt down in the saddle. Usually if the first 15 minutes goes well then I have it made.

And to top it off I got to ride two days in a row! That must mean that conditioning for the new year has begun. The sun came out to warm us and the snow was bright and glistened. It was just beautiful!

Riding for a lot of people is just an activity. But for me, riding is breathing. Without riding I just get depressed and unhappy. I walked every day all winter long which helped me retain some sanity. But it wasn't riding and time with my horse. But this weekend, I was able to be with nature again, appreciate the beauty, and just soak it all up with each breath. Hard to beat a good horse, sun, trail and the view of that gorgeous river. What a great weekend! God is good!

BIRDBRAIN

Meet Birdbrain, aka the wounded pigeon I brought home today. I think he is very pretty, has some very colorful feathers in that wet grey. The poor guy has blood on his wing and can't fly at all. He was floundering around in the ice and snow as the dogs went to investigate. A coyote would have made short work of him. For now he has food and water, shelter and is safe from predators. No bands or anything on his legs. I am going to try and find him a home and if nothing else, once he is all healed up turn him loose again.

Birds of a Feather

Nearly everyday Molly and I take our walk across the cornfield and along the edge of the marsh. The last few weeks we have seen very few birds other than a pheasant or two, perhaps a hawk. But the frozen marsh has been pretty quiet.

Today however was different. Perhaps it has been the sunny afternoons the last couple days with temperatures barely above freezing for an hour or two before the sun goes down.

As we strolled along the edge of icy ponds the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the snow. A hawk took flight and the sun cast a beautiful golden hue over his wings as he flew overhead. The awesome moment was breathtaking.

Farther along I could hear the birds singing and chirping. Little black capped snowbirds filled a couple small trees. One of the bigger trees had about 50 red-wing blackbirds all trilling and talking to each other. And there, in the middle of the tree surrounded by blackbirds was one lone red breasted robin! A Robin in January!!! "He must be lost!" I said to Molly who was busy sniffing out a mouse. I could hope it's a sign of an early spring but it is supposed to snow so scrap that thought!

A bit farther was another tree of blackbirds and another hawk. Along the creek we scared up four ducks and a blue heron. I haven't seen this many birds in nearly two months! And the hunters were out there yesterday so don't think that has anything to do with it.

It is so fun to listen to the birds, watch and appreciate them. By the time we head back home the sun is setting and temperature is quickly dropping. Could be the birds will start nesting soon and spring will surely return!

Bye 2010 - Hello 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! I don't always take the time to look back upon the year. But when I remember the fact "but for the grace of God go I", then I realize I should truly appreciate the year. I've survived some wrecks & scrapes over the years only because God wasn't done with me yet.

One thing I have learned is people say "I hope you find happiness in the New Year." Well I don't think you find happiness, it's a choice you make. Happiness is what you live & create.

Of course, my happiest place is on a horse in the wilderness some place. I got to ride a LOT this year. HOORAY! For the first time Thunder & I went to Oregon for a couple rides. That led to my number one goal for the year, to ride a 100. The first I'd done in several years. We had so much fun we did two! We did all 5 days of Canyonlands multi-day & Thunder felt good enough for a couple more days! That was truly awesome & left me wanting more!
And another first, I rode with my grandaughter McKenzie. I hope we get to do it again. Dad & Karen came to visit and we all went up to the mine, another first. The girls had more fun trying to catch tadpoles than anything!
Of course everything wasn't a success and life isn't always wonderful, but I take the good & I'm thankful for it.

So I look forward to spring 2011 when I can return to some good rides! I hope everyone has something they enjoy doing & go enjoy! Count your blessings & be thanful!

Live it up in 2011!

Halloween Wind Caves

Halloween weekend. The final Northwest ride for 2010. A 2-day event of sand, rocks, gopher holes, gravel roads, sagebrush, canyons and a few stray trees not far from the Snake River and Oregon Trail.

PLUS a history lesson. This was the land of the Utter Disaster, often referrred to as one of the worst Indian attacks on the Oregon Trail. On September 9& 10, 1860, the Utter/Van Ormen WagonTrain engaged in a life-and-death struggle with attacking Indians near Castle Butte.
The assault on the wagon train of forty-four emigrants led by Elijah P. Utter resulted in the deaths of six men, two women, and three children. Indian casualties were estimated at between 25 and 30. Survivors followed the Snake River to near the mouth of the OwyheeRiver. When rescued by the Army 40 days later, only fifteen had survived the ordeal of hunger and deprivation. This sign is posted on Hwy 78 near Wees Rd. It's an amazing story!

I opted to ride the 75 miler because it was a big 55 mile loop out to the Birch Creek Canyon and the Wind Caves. I wouldn't have a bunch of little loops in and out of camp, which for me is a big bonus because I don't like a lot of loops. And my big treat for the day was the Wind Caves along the big sandy wash of Birch Creek. These are awesome formations with big holes a person can easily crawl through. I wonder if the Indians ever used them. The formations resemble a pile of skulls from a distance. Quite fitting for Halloween and it looked like they belonged in an Indiana Jones movie! Birch Creek Canyon and it's many rock formations was great also but I was busy watching trail and footing and found it hard to ride with camera in hand. I'd like to go back for a day ride and take lots of photos.

Thunder gave me a fine ride on the 75. Back in camp for the final vet check my riding partners both got pulled. This left us 12 miles to go by ourselves, creating a new adventure. I wondered if Thunder might miss his buddies and be reluctant to leave camp? Nope! He didn't even look back and cantered happily down the trail. We trotted as much as we could and it got dark on us about 45 minutes out of camp. I'd ridden Thunder in the dark before but not just the two of us. It's a great experience trotting along, trusting your horse to judge the footing and choose the pace. I was pretty proud of him as he did fantastic! John Teeter did a superb job of putting out glo sticks so I never questioned where the trail went. I did finally turn my light on for the last couple miles as we went through some gates and I wanted to be sure to stay out of any wire. I didn't need to worry about gopher holes because Thunder wasn't going near any of them. We finished about 8:50 PM, I think we were 6th out 8. Not great by some folks standards but I'd finished on a sound healthy horse that could have gone farther! True to form he gave me only one buck for the ride - thats my boy! Some days I get several. It was a great wrap up to a successful ride year.

Fall has Fell

Laps in the pasture, what better way to blow off some steam on a cool fall morning. The summer heat has stepped aside. This is the beginning of cooler days. I'm pretty sure a warm day will now be the exception. Even old Zap joined in for a short time.

Zap thought most of it was silly, afterall he is 27 this year. He preferred to keep eating that lush grass while Thunder & Blue ran circles around him.

Scarlet sneaking up on the inside of her mother, Hollie, trying to steal the lead. And she did. She might be little but she is quick!

Brother and sister having some fun. I think it's interesting how these two have joined up again after years of being apart.

Another lap around the field with Hollie out in front. She cheated and cut the corner, enjoying the run!

Lap after lap they ran, then they started to slow down. Trot around. Snort and blow. With all the frivolities over, it was simply time to graze.

More Canyonlands

I stir in my sleeping bag as I hear a soft nicker. Followed by a louder nicker. I hear a hoof pawing. Stomp! Stomp! A bucket makes a clang against the corral panels. Stomp! Stomp! Another whinny calls out. There is no doubt in my mind. It is Thunder, calling for room service! "Hey Lady! Breakfast time!"

"Ok Ok" I call to him. "I'm up!" As I step outside the moonlight is casting shadows everywhere. I don't need the flashlight as I give the boys their hay. Thunder continues to paw until I give him his soggy beet pulp with a bit of grain. Then all I can hear is "Slurp! Slosh! Slurp!" Oh yes and the thumping of Molly's wagging tail as she gets her dog food!

At a multi-day ride a routine quickly develops. Feed the horses and the dog. Breakfast. Walk the horses and the dog. Saddle up, pack the water bottles. Get the dog settled for the day. Bridle and interference boots. Ditch the jacket. Strap on the helmet. Mount up and get outta Dodge!

Each day at the Owyhee Canyonlands is a brand new adventure. Promises of old cabins, remnants of wagons, gorgeous vistas and a whole lot of trail! The Castle Creek ride on Day 2 offers some gorgeous views of several canyons where the rock walls harbor caves belonging to some citter. The first part of this ride is pretty hilly and rocky. We took our time, rode easy and got to the halfway vet check in 4 hours. After an hour of letting Thunder suck up all his food and my peanuts, we were ready to circle around back to camp.

It's hard to pick a favorite day because each one is beautiful in it's own way. But I do think my personal favorites were the 3rd and 4th days, Oregon Trail and Sinker Creek loops.

Merri Melde rode Blue on Day 3 and she took this shot of Thunder and I. T

The Oregon Trail 50, goes NW to the beautiful Rio Del Sierra Ranch. The owners amazingly welcome us each year and allow us to invade their pasture for our vet check. And it was our vet check not just once but twice as we had a circle of trail from the ranch that took us over the Oregon Trail. This section was quite rocky and went up a narrow ravine that makes one wonder how they ever got wagons through there. Up on top are some stretches of wagon ruts cut into the rock slabs. We traveled on out to a canyon lip that overlooked the glsitening Snake River far below. It was definitely a WOW moment! The route took us back to the Oregon Trail and the ranch for that second vet check mentioned earlier. Afterwhich we traveled across the varied terrain to Oreana and the Teeter's Ranch once again.

Day 4 is Sinker Creek, where we ride west of camp, with some good trotting ground before dropping elevation and passing through the rocky gates as the canyon walls come together. We crossed the creek about 30 times as we just kept looking up into the gorgeous rock formations and cathedral spires of the canyon walls. Later climbing and climbing back out and topping out on a plateau with yet another amazing view! One vet check on this day and then back around through Pickett Creek drainage and up onto the Hart Creek Rim trail. Thunder was so full of it along the rim that I was tired of him pulling on me. He knew where he was and wanted to go. So I led him for awhile until he settled down. Four days and still frolicking!

Day 5 used 2 loops out of camp so no vet crew bag to pack since we would return to camp halfway through the day. The loop went out across the highway through The Birds of Prey lands near Rye Patch and returned to camp for the first 25 miles. This was easier for crews and vets but a bit hard for the horses because so far each day, once in camp they were finished. But not this day. After their hour hold in the vet check they had to go back to another loop. I didn't want Thunder to think he was done for the day so I left him saddled. The plan seemed to work as we left camp and went out to Hart Creek. The trail took us through an old homestead and a neat dugout! Then farther up we interrupted a napping rattler who was pretty cranky after he almost got stomped on.

Thunder was really strong the last few miles in. I was with another 5-day rider, Drin Becker, and we were both certain our horses could have done another day if it was there. Thunder was just full of it! I think he was doing his "happy dance"!

Multi-day rides are so incredibly wonderful. You begin the week camping with a few friends, and before you know it everyone is your friend. It's hard to see the week end. You know that some of your new friends you won't see for a long time, or maybe not at all.

But the magic has to come to an end. And the sun sets on another adventure that goes into my treasure chest of fun and savage amusement!

Owyhee Adventure part 1

Blue: Hey Thunder, whadda ya suppose is down this road?

Thunder: I've been here before. A lot of horses go down this road to a big hill. The humans try to relive the Old West by riding us from here to the Snake River and the Oregon Trail.

Blue: I got to go on the East loop last year but not out to the Oregon Trail. Wow!

Thunder: You'll get to see it this year. You have a rider for Day 1. Follow me kid!

The Owyhee Mountain Range of SW Idaho is flanked by Hwy 78. To some it is a vast brown barren wasteland. To others, the high desert holds a rich history and a hidden beauty that at first you may have to look for. But then as the peace and serenity settles into your bones, you truly begin to appreciate the land. As you watch the sun come up over the horizons and the gold and pink hues in the landscape you begin to see it take on a life of it's very own. Little has changed in the Owyhees in the last 200 years. A few roads have been added but other than that, it is still the Old West where time has stood still. In the silence as you ride, you can hear the footfall of your horse, his every breath, the squeak of leather and if you are lucky, the call of a hawk.

As the sun rises on Sept 28, 2010; 68 riders saddle up and leave Oreana, Idaho. Their destination? Wild Horse Butte, the lands of Birds of Prey and the Snake River. It is more than a new dawn it is the beginning of a 5 day adventure through the Owyhees.

The trail left the Teeter's Ranch and climbed through washes to the open flats, heading east across Hwy 78. The footing was pretty sandy with rolling hills, cow trails and two-track roads out to the Snake River for a welcome chance to cool off and relax in the water. Leonard Liesens took the photo of everyone at the river as he was riding Z Blue Lightening, Thunder's cousin.

The route ambled along the Snake River for awhile then it was a climb up out of the lowlands and soon we were on the Oregon Trail. One can't help but wonder what the pioneers thought as they left that beautiful river behind and headed out into the dust. Perhaps there was more grassland then and less sagebrush but it was still pretty dry. I am thankful for a good horse that can go 50 miles day and not 3 miles a day like those wagons did! UGH!

After the vet check we had 16 miles of trails and two truck with more gulleys, arroyos, hills and sand. Some places were a bit tricky and Thunder felt good and threw in a couple bucks. Once as we were trotting along he leaped straight in the air! I think I heard a rattler but I was pretty busy trying to stay right side up!

I was pleased Blue could give his rider, Leonard Liesens of Belgium, his first look at the Oregon Trail! Leo thought that was pretty cool! There were a few pulls the first day but nothing serious and we were all happy to see camp! The horses vetted through without any trouble and we had a completion for day 1 before 2 PM!

Once finished though the work begins for the next day. Take care of the ponies so they can go again the next day. Go get your vet crewbag and repack it, load it in the rig going to the vet check so you will have all your stuff. Wash out your equipment so it is clean and ready. Feed the horse some more and pay attention to every little nick and bump so he can keep going. Go shower. Walk the ponies and play with Molly Dog. Dinner for me then more dinner for the horses. It never ends but I love it!! Even though I will get up in the middle of the night just to check and be sure the horses are fine. Toss them more hay and tell them good night once more.